Surgical electrode



Jam 30, l934-. J. P, FARNHAM Er Al. 1,945,140

SURG I CAL ELECTRODE Filed Jan. 16. 1931 ffl/mw@ l M/Zwar m Patented Jan. 30, 1934 PAT @FICE SURGCAL ELECTRDE John P. Farnham and Calvin C. Bishop, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application January 16, 1931. Serial No. 509,106

4 Claims.

This invention relates to surgical diathermy electrodes, and more particularly to that type of surgical electrode which is adapted for use in connection with tonsillectomy.

5 The objects of this invention are to provide an electrode of this kind, which is formed for use in depressing the tongue during the use of the electrode; also to provide an electrode of this kind, which has a portion adapted to engage a pillar muscle to press the same out of the Way of the discharge of electricity from said electrode and to render the tonsil more readily accessible; also to provide an electrode of this kind with means for reinforcing the tongue depressing portion therel5 of; also to improve the construction of surgical electrodes of this kind in other respects hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective View of'a surgical electrode embodying this invention;

Fig. 2 is a face view thereof; partly in section;

Fig. 3 is a cross section thereof on line 3 3, Fig. 1.

During tonsillectomies, it is necessary for the surgeon to employ some implement for depressing the tongue of the patient to prevent it from interfering with the operating, and to enable the surgeon to see the part which is being operated upon. It is also frequently necessary for the surgeon to employ an instrument for moving the pillar muscle out of the way of the electrode, and the handling of these two implements in addition to the electrode frequently involves diiiiculty. The instrument embodying this invention, not

only serves as an electrode, but may also be used for depressing the tongue or for moving the posterior pillar muscle out of the way to render the tonsil more readily accessible, and to protect it from being injured by the electric current.

A represents the body portion of our improved electrode which is made of a suitable insulating material which can be readily sterilized, bakelite, for example, having been found very satisfactory for this purpose, although other insulating materials may be employed, if desired. The body p0rtion A throughout the greater part of its length is flattened on opposite sides thereof, that shown having its opposite sides 5 and 6 of very much greater Width than the thickness of the body portion, so that a considerable surface of either of these two sides of the body portion may bear against the tongue to depress the same. By making this body portion relatively thin, it oiers very little obstruction to the vision of the surgeon.

Since most of the suitable insulating materials do not have very great strength against breaking, and since considerable pressure may be brought to bear against the tongue by means of the body portion, a reinforcing member B is preferably provided in the insulating body portion to impart the necessary strength thereto and at the same time to act as a conductor of the electricity. The reinforcing member of core B may be of any suitable or desired material, such for example as steel, and may be made relatively thin and of considerable width to conform more or less to the contour of the body portion A, as shown in Fig. 3. This reinforcing member is embedded in the body portion, the body portion being prefer` ably molded about the reinforcing member B. In 'Z0 this manner, the body portion of the electrode is able to withstand much greater strains than if the same were made entirely of insulating material, and the danger of the implement breaking while in use is eliminated. The reinforcing member may, however, be omitted, if desired, or may be replaced by a conductor embedded in the insulating body.

The body portion of the electrode at its outer end is provided with a laterally extending part C, which may be reduced in Width, and a metal tip D, from which electricity is discharged to the tonsil or other part which is being operated upon, extends laterally out of the end of the part C of the body portion. By means of this ar` 85 rangement, the flat portion A of the body may extend more or less lengthwise of the tongue, While the end thereof extends laterally toward a tonsil. The outer end of the reinforcing member B is also provided with a corresponding laterally extending part so as to extend into the laterally extending portion C of the electrode to reinforce the same, and the end of the reinforcing member B is connected with the tip D so as to conduct current thereto.

It is at times desirable to move the pillar muscle out of the way to obtain access to the portions of the tonsil behind the same. In order to enable the electrode to be used for this purpose, an abutment E is formed on the outer edge of the laterally extending portion C of the electrode, and this abutment has an enlarged outer face to provide an extended bearing surface against the pillar muscle. The abutment E is also preferably spaced at a distance from the tip D greater than the length of the arc discharged from the tip D so that the pillar muscle Will not be injured by the heat of the current discharged from the tip D. The abutment E, therefore. has the dual function of pushing the pillar muscle out of the way to render all portions of the tonsil accessible, andalso of protecting the pillar muscle against injury from the electricity discharged from the tip.

Any suitable means may be employed for conducting electric current to the combined reinforcing member and conductor B. In the particular construction shown, the inner end of the body portion terminates in a rounded tubular part 8, in which is embedded an internally threaded sleeve 9 rigidly secured in any suitable manner to the reinforcing member B. Preferably, the tubular portion 8 of the insulating body extends lengthwise considerably beyond the metal sleeve 9.

In order to connect the reinforcing member B with a conductor l0 of a cable l'l, the end of the conductor may be suitably secured to a metal pin or screw 12, the outer end of which is threaded to engage with the threads in the metal sleeve 9. The screw V12, with the exception of the threadet end thereof, is embedded in a sleeve or ferrule 14 of rigid insulating material, having its outer end 15 of reduced diameter to 'llt within the end of the tubular part 8 of the body of the electrode. When it is desired to disconnect the electrode from the cable, for example, for'sterilizing the electrode, the insulating part 14 is turned to unscrew the screw 12 from the sleeve 9. The electrical connection between the cable and the electrode prevents any electricity from passing from this connection to the surgeon, but it will be understood that any other means may be employed for forming an electrical connection between the cable and the reinforcing member B.

The electrode described is so formed that it may be used to operate on either tonsil by merely turning the electrode over sothat the laterally extending portion C thereof extends toward the desired side, since the body portion of the electrode has two flat faces 5 and 6, either of which may be used for depressing the tongue.

We claim as our invention:

l. A surgical electrode, including a body made of insulating material and having an approxiuse in depressing the tongue, terminating in a portion extending laterally thereto and a direction approximately parallel to said face, a metallic reinforcing member ern bedded and fully surrounded by the insulating material and extending lengthwise through said body and into said Ylaterally extending portion, a metal tip extending out of said laterally exn tending portion and connected with said reini forcing part to receive electric current therefrom,

and an abutment at one edge of said laterally extending part for holding the pillar muscle out of the way of said tip.

2. A surgical electrode, including a relatively' thin, broad, elongated body portion formed of insulating material and having a relatively broad portion thereof shaped to depress the tongue when flat thereagainst another and broad terminal portion to press flat against a pillar muscle, a metal tip extending out of said body portion adjacent to but spaced from the portion thereof for engaging the pillar muscle, and a conductor running lengthwise of said insulating body and connected with said tip to supply electric current thereto.

3. A surgical electrode, including a body portion which is flattened throughout the greater part of the length thereof for use in depressing the tongue, said body portion terminating at its inner end in a laterally projecting portion which extends approximately parallel to the faces of said flattened portion, an abutment extending from one edge of said laterally projecting portion to engage the pillar muscle, a metal tip extending out of said insulating body from said laterally extending portion thereof and spaced at a distance from the portion engaging the pillar muscle, a metal reinforcing member fully en-v cased in and insulated by said insulating body portion and connected with said tip, and having a terminal at its outer end for connection to a conductor supplying electric current to said tip.

e. A surgical instrument, comprising a relatively thin and broad, elongated body of insulating material hav-ing one end extending angularly to its length in a direction approximately parallel to the faces of body, and with a curve on the outer corner, whereby when one of the faces of said body is pressed fiat against the tongue to depress it, said angular end will progress laterally thereof toward a tonsil, said body having a flange extending from the outer edge of said angular end in a direction approximately normal to the faces of said body and at approximately-the tip of said angularly extending end, so as to form a relatively broad area to press against and retract a pillar muscle, and a metallic conductor extending from end to end through said body and terminating in a metallic tip projecting froin the body at the tip of said angular end and spaced from said flange, whereby when said flange is pressed against a pillar muscle, said metallic tip may discharge a current to the adjacent tonsil tissue.

JOI-IN P. FARNHANL CALVIN C. BISHOP.

iss 

